A BA humanities student was recently elected as the new chairperson of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at Stellenbosch University (SU).
Masilo Silokazi was elected as the incoming chairperson of the SRC for the term 2022/2023 on 15 August, after four intensive voting rounds.
This is according to Yanga Keva, chief electoral officer and chairperson of the election commission, at the new chairperson’s caucus on 18 August.
The Student Representative Council “is the highest representative student structure at the university and is under the authority of the University Council”, according to the student constitution of Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Tamara Wicomb
‘Four intensive rounds’
Five candidates were nominated for the position of SRC chairperson for 2022/2023, namely, Queen Majikikela, Phiwokuhle Qabaka, William Sezoe, Chris Briel and Silokazi.
“There are 15 voting members for the SRC. The number of votes required in order to succeed is eight,” said Keva. In the final round, there was one vote abstaining, six for the opposing candidate and eight for Silokazi, making her the newly elected chairperson of the SRC, stated Keva.
Masilo Silokazi was recently elected as the new chairperson of the Student Representative Council at Stellenbosch University. This is not her first leadership position, as she is currently the outgoing primaria of Venustia, a private student organisation, according to the organisation’s website. PHOTO: Tamara Wicomb
Newly elected SRC chairperson
By observing many institutional leadership structures, such as the outgoing SRC and the Prim Committee, Silokazi noticed what needs to be maintained or changed at SU, she stated.
Continuous observation and learning makes her the ideal candidate for the SRC and the position of chairperson, said Silokazi at the caucus.
“My mandate and will as the chairperson is to act in the best interest of the team,” she said in her speech. Apart from that, she also wants to ensure that trust is restored in the SRC across campus, she added.
“[Silokazi] brings positivity into a space needing it,” said Takadiwa Chipfumbu, a newly elected SRC member.
Pictured above, from left to right, are members of the electoral commission at Stellenbosch University: Xola Njengele (director of electoral regulations), Sinegugu April (director of electoral administration), Yanga Keva (chief electoral officer and chairperson of the election commission), Anele Mdepa (manager of student goverances), Leone Wilkinson (director of election marketing and campaigns) and Natalie Mashele (director of finance and logistics). PHOTO: Tamara Wicomb
Hopes for the new term
“[My] hope for the incoming SRC [is] that they are a leadership body that is transparent, and [will] hold the regards of the student body first and their own personal one’s second,” said Chipfumbu.